Valve for controlling coolant flow and fuel cell cooling system using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191567-A1
Application number	US-201615215944-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mechanical valve for adjusting coolant flow which may be opened and closed based on the pressure of a coolant and a fuel cell cooling system using the same are provided. The valve has a mechanical valve structure to be opened and closed by the pressure of a coolant introduced into a coolant inlet and thus blocks and permits the coolant circulated to an ion filter line during operation of a fuel cell stack at the maximum output. The valve performs a coolant flow blocking function executed by a conventional electronic valve and thus a fuel cell cooling system has a simplified structure using the valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve for controlling coolant flow, comprising:
a valve housing having a coolant flow space between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a valve body installed in the coolant flow space to be linearly movable by the flow pressure of the coolant introduced into the coolant inlet, and configured to move by the flow pressure of the coolant to close the coolant outlet; and a support spring disposed at the rear of the valve body in the coolant flow space to elastically support the valve body.

2 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 1 , wherein the coolant flow space includes:
a central space part having a diameter that corresponds to the maximum diameter of the valve body; an introduction space part formed to connect the coolant inlet to the front region of the central space part; and a discharge space part formed to connect the rear region of the central space part to the coolant outlet, wherein the valve body is installed in the central space part to be linearly movable.

3 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 2 , wherein a protrusion to support the front end of the valve body elastically supported by the support spring is formed between the central space part and the introduction space part in the valve housing.

4 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 2 , wherein a stepped part contacting the valve body moving backwards by the flow pressure of the coolant is formed in the valve housing and has a tapered shape in the flow direction of the coolant between the central space part and the discharge space part to block the flow of the coolant towards the coolant outlet by contact with the valve body.

5 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 1 , wherein a foil for flow distribution to radially distribute the coolant introduced through the coolant inlet is formed at the front end of the valve body, and a plurality of coolant apertures are disposed outside the foil for flow distribution in the circumferential direction of the valve body.

6 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 5 , wherein the total cross-sectional area of the coolant apertures is greater than the cross-sectional area of the coolant inlet.

7 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 4 , wherein a coolant blocking surface part contacting the stepped part when the valve body moves backwards protrudes from the rear end of the valve body, and a rubber seal hermetically contacting the stepped part is attached to the coolant blocking surface part.

8 . The valve for controlling coolant flow of claim 7 , wherein a protrusion for preventing water leakage protrudes from the external diametral part of the rubber seal.

9 . A fuel cell cooling system, comprising:
a coolant circulation line formed between the front end of a fuel cell stack and the rear end of a radiator to cool a coolant supplied to the fuel cell stack; an ion filter line branched from the coolant circulation line and having an ion filter installed to remove ions from the coolant supplied from the radiator to the fuel cell stack; a coolant heating line branched from the coolant circulation line and having a heating unit installed to heat the coolant; a coolant distribution valve installed at a branch point among the coolant circulation line, the coolant heating line and the ion filter line to distribute the flow of the coolant discharged to the coolant circulation line and the coolant heating line; and a valve configured to adjust coolant flow installed between the rear end of the ion filter and the coolant distribution valve to be opened and closed by the flow pressure of the coolant.

10 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the coolant distribution valve employs an electronic 4-way valve connected to a bypass line branched from a coolant cooling line formed between the rear end of the fuel cell stack and the front end of the radiator to receive the coolant introduced from the bypass line.

11 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 10 , wherein a water pump to feed the coolant flowing from the fuel cell stack to the radiator under pressure is installed on the coolant cooling line.

12 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the valve configured to adjust coolant flow includes:
a valve housing having a coolant flow space between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; a valve body installed in the coolant flow space to be linearly movable by the flow pressure of the coolant introduced into the coolant inlet, and configured to move by the flow pressure of the coolant to close the coolant outlet; and a support spring disposed at the rear of the valve body in the coolant flow space to elastically support the valve body.

13 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 12 , wherein the valve body moves backwards by the flow pressure of the coolant generated in the ion filter line during operation of the fuel cell stack at the maximum output and thus closes the coolant outlet.

14 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 12 , wherein a coefficient of elasticity of the support spring is set based on the flow pressure of the coolant generated in the ion filter line during operation of the fuel cell stack at a high output less than at the maximum output of the fuel cell stack.

15 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 12 , wherein the coolant flow space includes:
a central space part having a diameter that corresponds to the maximum diameter of the valve body; an introduction space part formed to connect the coolant inlet to the front region of the central space part; and a discharge space part formed to connect the rear region of the central space part to the coolant outlet, wherein the valve body is installed in the central space part to be linearly movable.

16 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 15 , wherein a protrusion to support the front end of the valve body elastically supported by the support spring is formed between the central space part and the introduction space part in the valve housing.

17 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 15 , wherein a stepped part contacting the valve body moving backwards by the flow pressure of the coolant is formed in the valve housing and has a tapered shape in the flow direction of the coolant between the central space part and the discharge space part to block the flow of the coolant towards the coolant outlet by contact with the valve body.

18 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 12 , wherein a foil for flow distribution to radially distribute the coolant introduced through the coolant inlet is formed at the front end of the valve body and a plurality of coolant apertures are disposed outside the foil for flow distribution in the circumferential direction of the valve body.

19 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 18 , wherein the total cross-sectional area of the coolant holes is greater than the cross-sectional area of the coolant inlet.

20 . The fuel cell cooling system of claim 17 , wherein a coolant blocking surface part contacting the stepped part when the valve body moves backwards protrudes from the rear end of the valve body, and a rubber seal hermetically contacting the stepped part is attached to the coolant blocking surface part.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Na Sung Wook
• Park Hun Woo

Classifications

• F16K31/1221

  one side of the piston being spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K31/1223

  one side of the piston being acted upon by the circulating fluid · CPC title

• F16K1/126 Primary

  actuated by fluid · CPC title

• H01M8/04029

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• H01M8/04768

  of the coolant · CPC title